Every business owner, big or small, wants to convert more leads into paying customers.
Improving your conversion rate is one of the most effective strategies you can employ to grow your business. After all, it costs far more to attract new leads than to convert the ones you’ve already attracted.
Here are 5 techniques to boost your conversions:
1. Embrace the Sales Page
Create a landing page on your website that is optimised for conversions.
A sales page, also known as a landing page, is different to a typical website. It is created with one specific purpose: to convert visitors into customers.
Unlike most pages on a website, it is a single page focused on just one product or service, with messages designed for a specific target market. A targeted sales pitch designed for a specific ideal customer is much more effective than sharing multiple services they may not be interested in.
A sales or landing page allows you to grab the attention of your target audience, because you can talk directly to their problem, and then present a very specific solution. This increases your conversion rate.
A conversion can mean several things, not just sales. Despite it being called a sales page, it doesn’t need to immediately close the sale. Especially for trades and construction businesses, it will likely be one step in your sales process. For example, your sales page could be set up to request a quote, or book a call.
Your sales page should encourage prospects to share their information with you, so you can follow-up and close the sale.
2. Provide Testimonials
Testimonials are a powerful tool in your conversion kit. Before customers choose to buy from you, they typically seek testimonials and reviews.
This is because reviews and testimonials share an unbiased and more trusted opinion of your services. According to Trust Mary, 93% of consumers read reviews before purchasing, and 58% are willing to pay more for companies with good reviews.
Social proof also humanises your brand. When customers call out specific employees for their hard work or share how the business treated them, prospective customers feel more connected to you.
If you want to take this one step further, share video testimonials on your landing page and website. 2 out of 3 consumers say they’re more likely to make a purchase after watching a testimonial video.
3. Simple over Smart and Clear over Clever
Creativity can be memorable, but if you aren’t careful, it can be distracting and counterproductive.
One of the biggest problems with being smart or clever is assumptions. We know our products and services well, and often assume other people have certain information or knowledge when they don’t.
This can leave your prospect with questions or barriers that stop them from taking the next step in their journey.
When it comes to small businesses, the clearer and more concise you can be in your message, the more effective your messaging will be. This will result in a higher conversion rate.
Keep it simple and use what works!
4. Combine Online Lead Generation with Offline Sales Techniques
Unless you exclusively sell products online, you can’t expect your website or marketing materials to do all the work to close the sale. You must intelligently incorporate offline sales techniques into your sales process.
Your website/sales page only needs to make the visitor interested enough to leave their contact info. This allows you to follow up your warm lead in a structured sales process.
For example, do you have a process for responding to quote enquiries from your sales place? Or do you have a sales script for call bookings?
You should test and measure every aspect of your sales process, and continually improve your follow-up process.
5. No Business Is an Island. The Mainland Should Influence Every Business.
Straight up copying your competitor’s marketing won’t do your business any favours. You won’t be unique, nor will it be good for your search engine rankings. But you can learn from their successful and unsuccessful marketing efforts.
Stay up to date with your competitors’ marketing efforts by following them on social media, signing up for their mailing lists, and regularly visiting their website.
You will be able to create marketing materials that stand out and communicate your value much better than your competitors.
These are just five simple strategies to help improve your conversion rate – but there are many more strategies you can employ.
Work out your current conversion rate, introduce these tactics, and test and measure your process. Investing the time required will be worth your while!
Power to you!
Stefan Kazakis
CEO, Business Benchmark Group
